Earth
Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Thirty Eight Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
“You are not going anywhere until you tell me what is
going on! I know something is bothering you and I want to help if I can.”
“Nothing is going on, Master.”
“You’re lying. You’ve been acting weird for days. At least
explain what was going on with that Youma.”
“Is that an order?”
“I don’t want to force you to tell me anything, but”
Mamoru took a deep breath, “If it is affecting the mission then, yes, consider
it an order.”
I meant what I said. I didn’t want to force Seiichi into
talking about his past when it obviously pained him to do so, but what else
could I do? His problems were affecting the mission and I was worried about
him.
“Youma attacks were not just restricted to Tokyo. I fought
all over the country before, much later, we moved here, to the Okura” Seiichi
said finally, “Tetsuya came with me because he still felt that he had to honour
his promise to Zinan and look out for me. The Youma also followed me here. It
is drawn to me and yet if I get close enough to try to capture it, it runs
away. I tried to focus on catching it but then a few weeks afterwards I
witnessed your awakening. I knew how reluctant you were to fight and how
dangerous it would be for you if you awakened your true powers before you were
ready.”
“So you acted as a decoy” Mamoru finished for him, his
mind still racing with the revelations that this evening had brought. The past
life had cost Seiichi everything, he thought bitterly, yet the young man didn’t
seem to care. From the little of the past life Mamoru could recall he knew that
even the Zoisite he had known then had feelings. This new incarnation seemed
unable to focus upon anything else but the mission.
He was right, Komoro Seiichi did die on that day, but I
know that he truly doesn’t feel this way. He wants to believe in the present as
much as I do, but he is afraid to admit it.
“I’ll help you capture that Youma” Mamoru murmured as they
started walking away from the harbour. “We’ll find a way to break the
connection.”
“Arigato, Master.”
I promised him that I would help him and intend to keep
that promise. Surely Seiichi will see, in his own time, that there is so much
more to him than Zoisite? Zoisite might have been my loyal guardian and
protector in the past life, as with all the Shitennou, but in the present,
Komoro Seiichi is my friend as are the others.
“My father is--”
“No. Zoisite was a master pianist. You have excelled in
your lessons far surpassing your ‘father’.”
“I’m not going to listen to this.”
“Zoisite--”
“My name is Komoro Seiichi.”
He once felt the same as I did about the mission, though
one wouldn’t have ever of guessed it now.
******
Act Thirty-Nine:
“Venus” Sailor Moon fell to her knees, tears staining her
cheeks as the other blonde moved slightly, just enough to turn her head so that
she was looking the Princess in the eyes as she spoke:
“I’m sorry.”
“Venus!” Artemis shouted, as her eyes slid closed. Slowly,
her body began to shimmer and break down until there was nothing left. She was
gone.
Usagi stared up at the full moon, a few tears still in her
eyes as she recalled the events of two days ago. Venus… she had failed her,
Usagi thought bitterly, and Artemis.
The white plushie lay curled up on her pillow but, like
Usagi, was unable to sleep.
“You promised me!” Artemis snarled, “You promised me that
you would save her!”
Though Usagi did not understand why Zoisite had agreed to
help Artemis, she knew that it wasn’t the white haired Tennou’s fault. If Mars
had taken the Ginzuishou… Usagi closed her eyes and exhaled quietly. All this
pain… all this suffering and all because of a simple gemstone!
Naru, too, had suffered because of the mission, Usagi
thought miserably. She had failed her best friends in both this life and the
last.
“Is this the burden of the past life? Will she continue to
suffer for it? Even in this world?”
“I am…” Usagi trailed off as she felt the stone in her
locket pulse at the recollection of Mamoru’s words.
“Endymion” she knew that she should fight her
transformation, but Usagi, having lost Venus, her only ally, had no wish to do
so. It was easier to surrender to the will of the Princess… she had nothing
else left to lose.
“Endymion” Princess Sailor Moon said, keeping her voice
cold as she teleported from the bedroom.
“Usagi-chan!” Luna cried as she disappeared.
******
“I’m… I’m going to stay with my parents in England”
“Why?”
“It is over… I understand that now… Whatever it is that
keeps you from me… I cannot compete and I---”
Mamoru winced as he looked around the silent apartment,
various conversations that he had with his now dead fiancée replaying
themselves over and over in his mind. All the fighting, all pain that he had
caused her came back, threatening to overwhelm him.
“Mamoru?” Taro spoke, breaking the silence and placed a
hand on his shoulder, “Daijobu?”
“I’m fine. I knew… I knew it would be difficult,” Mamoru
answered, once again glad for his friend’s presence. Despite not ever wanting
to admit it, Mamoru knew he could not have come here alone.
“I don’t believe you. You told Masaki that you enjoyed
playing the piano because it offered you an escape from the mission! If you
truly didn’t care about your father’s death then why does it obviously hurt so
much to talk about him? The very reason you went after the Youma in the first
place was to avenge his death!”
Hearing the truth about his friend’s awakening had forced
Mamoru to confront his own suffering. It was time to move on and so he had put
the apartment on the market. Motoki was happy for Mamoru to stay with him until
it was sold and then he could start looking for a place of his own. A fresh
start, that was what Mamoru wanted. A start free from the sadness that had been
choking his soul for so long now.
Yet he found himself calling Taro and asking his older
friend to come with him when he went to pick up the rest of his things. Hina’s
parents had already collected their dead daughter’s belongings. Mamoru couldn’t
bear to look her father in the eyes. He had promised to look out for his one
and only child and Mamoru had failed them.
Mamoru had also called Taro and asked he if would lend him
a hand because Taro was the only one of them with transportation. Masaki
couldn’t drive, and Kisho could but refused, preferring to either walk or, if
he had too, take public transport owing to his appreciation of nature. Mamoru
didn’t know about Seiichi but suspected he couldn’t drive either, and, in any
case, he didn’t need too. He had chauffeurs who drove him just about
everywhere.
“You know” Taro grumbled as they made their way back down
the stairs and out to the waiting vehicle with various boxes and crates, “If we
transformed we could just teleport all this straight to Motoki’s house and
there would be no need for this additional labour.”
“We could” Mamoru answered, “But we shouldn’t---”
“Use our powers for mundane things” Taro cut in good
naturedly, “I know and I do understand, but it just seems a little foolish.”
“Then perhaps you could use your powers to conjure up a
better set of wheels,” Mamoru pointed out as they reached Taro’s van. It was
blue and seemed in good condition, but the engine was terrible and it always took
at least three attempts to start up and it did need a clean.
“There is nothing wrong with it!”
“Taro, it stalled twice on the way over here.”
He sighed and dumped the crates down by the aforementioned
van, “Okay, it’s not brilliant but if you cared that much about transport why
didn’t you call Seiichi? He probably would have hired a goddamn limousine just
for your underwear!”
“I was only teasing you” Mamoru answered quietly, a little
taken back by this unprecedented aggression.
“I know” Taro said after a few minutes pause, “I guess… I
keep thinking about what happened to Venus.”
“There was nothing we could have done.”
“I know, but it must be awful… to turn against each other
like that.”
Mamoru frowned slightly. Since when did Taro start caring
about the Dark Senshi? But he could see his friend’s viewpoint. If the
Shitennou were to turn against him… Mamoru didn’t know what he would do.
“Come on” he said, choosing not to comment on this, “This
is the last of my stuff. Let’s just take it to Motoki’s and then--”
“Endymion!”
He whirled around, almost dropping his things, at the use
of his past name so boldly and openly.
Luna ran between the two men, wild panic in her eyes as
she skidded to a halt before them.
“What do you want?” Taro demanded, more than a little
angrily.
“Your help” Luna said, after much hesitation, “Usagi-chan
has disappeared.”
******
“You mustn’t hurt her. Venus is being used by Beryl. Deep
down she is still my leader. Please… promise me that no harm will come to her.”
“Venus” Mercury whispered as she entered her dead leader’s
quarters. Her song sheets still sat upon the stool by the curtain pulled
window.
Kuroki Mio had taken over leadership, but how could
Mercury follow anyone else but Venus?
It wasn’t Taro’s fault, Mercury knew. He had tried to help
them, but Venus… Venus had betrayed Serenity. She had planned on taking the
Ginzuishou to Beryl. Though Mercury had made no decision concerning their past
lives, she winced at the very idea of betrayal.
I gave you the seal of the old Kingdom to prove that I
love you and that you are the only person that matters in this world.
Venus was gone and Mars teetered closer and closer to the
edge. There was nothing left for Mercury in the Dark Kingdom and yet she felt
compelled to stay. To leave would endanger Taro and she would not do this.
“Mercury” she looked up as Jupiter approached. The most
powerful Senshi’s gaze appeared thoughtful though some sadness lingered in her
eyes when she, too, cast a glance at Venus’s music. Gingerly, she picked up a
sheet of power, staring at it for a moment before letting it fall to the floor.
“The darkness is growing stronger” Jupiter stated softly,
“The wraiths that are Metallia are coming together, fuelled by the Princess’s
anguish. If this continues… if this continues then the planet will fall.”
“I thought you wanted to see this day?”
“I did” Jupiter admitted quietly, “But now that I have
seen Kuroki Mio’s true colours… I do not like it. Venus was one of our own.”
“Mars says that Kuroki-san is Beryl herself.”
“No. She is much more than that” Jupiter shook her head,
“Her aura is similar but her presence is of a different nature.”
“So she is not Beryl?”
“I didn’t say that. She is more than Beryl.”
“More than?”
Jupiter shook her head, “I do not know, but when I do…”
she trailed off and teleported away. Mercury let her go.
“I didn’t say that. She is more than Beryl.”
“More than Beryl?” Mercury murmured, “Then… if this is so
then we shall have to tread very carefully. I do not like this. I do not like
this at all.”
******
Masaki handed the taxi driver a wad of Yen before stepping
up to the studio’s doors, suddenly unsure of himself. Mamoru had called him,
out of the blue, this morning and requested that he go to see how Seiichi was.
Their leader had given no specific reason as to why and, according to Taro,
there had been a battle, resulting in the death of Venus and Masaki could only
suppose that Mamoru wanted to make sure that Seiichi wasn’t hurt. Mamoru had
also requested that Masaki ‘keeps an eye on him’.
Masaki had to admit he was a little annoyed that Mamoru
did not give him any clear reasons, but the tone in his friend’s voice made him
want to go. Seiichi had been acting a little strange lately and, again
according to Taro, he had tried to steal the Ginzuishou even though Mamoru had
more or less ordered them to leave it with Tsukino Usagi. Whether this was a
wise move or not, Masaki could understand why Mamoru felt reluctant to make a
move against the girl and, after confronting her once before, Masaki knew that
there was no way to make Usagi see sense regarding the gemstone.
He pushed open the studio doors and stepped inside,
breezing passed reception lest he be stopped from going any further. Masaki
could hear a piano being played from further down the corridor and he was in no
doubt that it was Seiichi.
As he opened the first door he came too, Masaki recognised
the tune as being Kinzuru. As he entered the room, it became clear that
the recording session was very much underway and one of the technicians
hurriedly ushered Masaki into the room and closed the door behind him, gesturing
for him to keep silent. Masaki did so, idly wondering where Tetsuya was, but
was soon lost in the mournfulness of the song and was very much disappointed
when it ceased. As Seiichi stood up, closing the piano lid as he did so, the
aforementioned technician opened the recording room door and made his way over
to him, speaking in a low voice and then glancing up at Masaki.
Seiichi shook his head slightly and then announced that he
was taking a break. They seemed in agreement to this, though they could hardly
say anything else, and Seiichi crossed the room to the door, motioning for
Masaki to follow him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked quietly.
“I was bored” Masaki shrugged, “I came to see you, of
course.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
Seiichi shook his head slightly, opening another door,
this one leading to the small cafeteria. “Did the Master send you?”
“No.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“He is worried, that’s all.”
“He shouldn’t be.”
“Really? Where’s Tetsuya?”
“He’s got some time off. Would you like a coffee?”
Masaki nodded and Seiichi called out the order to one of
the waitresses before leading them to a table at the back of the room.
“I liked your new music” Masaki said after a moment or two
of silence, “It was very haunting.”
“Thank you.”
Masaki felt more than a little awkward at being here,
especially as Seiichi seemed particularly on his guard at the moment, “So” he
said after the waitress brought them over their coffees, “Do you play any other
instruments?”
Seiichi glanced up at him; obviously surprised that Masaki
had no interest in talking about the mission.
“The keyboard, which is very similar to the piano anyway,
and the guitar.”
“But you prefer to play the piano?”
“Of course.”
“I’m thinking about quitting college,” Masaki said, again
when Seiichi lapsed into silence and surprising himself by saying this. He
hadn’t dared mention this consideration to anyone lest it got back to Haru.
“I’m missing so much of the work and, to tell the truth, the subjects I study
don’t really interest me anymore.”
“What do you want to do?”
Masaki hesitated slightly, “I don’t know. There’s been too
much to think about at the moment. Did you ever go to college?”
“For a while” Seiichi allowed, looking a little
uncomfortable at talking about himself, “I studied music, but I found I could
concentrate better alone.”
Masaki frowned slightly, a half blurred image coming to
mind as Seiichi said this, as though he was recalling a distant memory. He
could see Zoisite sitting in his piano room, almost furiously composing song
after song for days on end. Always alone…
Seiichi gave him a half smile, as though guessing his
recollection and said, “The past life is coming to the forefront of all our
minds, especially as Metallia grows stronger.”
Masaki was unsure of what to say to this. He wasn’t even
sure why he asked Seiichi all those questions to start with. Perhaps a part of
him felt bad that Seiichi was so alone? Or maybe he was just following Mamoru’s
orders; to keep an eye on Seiichi?
“Your phone is ringing” Seiichi stated quietly, bring
Masaki out of his thoughts and he hurriedly answered it, glad for the
distraction. The caller ID said that it was Mamoru. Probably to check up on
them, Masaki thought as he answered.
“Masaki? Where are you?”
“We’re at the studio, why?”
“We’ve got a situation. Usagi’s disappeared.”
“Oh how terrible.”
“Drop the sarcasm” he responded acidly, “There is more
than that. How quickly can you get back to Juuban?”
Masaki relayed the question to Seiichi.
“Ten minutes” he repeated his friend’s answer.
“Good meet us outside Crown.”
Masaki sighed as he hung up and repeated what Mamoru had
said to Seiichi. “He doesn’t usually get this worked up,” Masaki added as
Seiichi stood, “Something must have happened.”
“When the Princess is involved…” Seiichi trailed off, “I
don’t like it.”
“Is this the burden of the past life? Will she continue to
suffer for it? Even in this world?”
Masaki didn’t either. Mamoru acted differently when Usagi
was around. He couldn’t seem to think straight. The curse of the past life…
Would it always be a millstone around their necks? Masaki didn’t know. He
didn’t know what to think anymore.
*******
“Naru-chan!”
“Mio-chan, ohayo!”
“You’re going to be late for school. Do you want to get a
lift with me? My limousine is just around the corner.”
“No thank you. I’m waiting for Usagi-chan, though she is
awfully late”
“Perhaps she is sick? My limousine has a telephone inside
it. We can call her on the way and if she’s just late my driver can go to her
house and we can pick her up, too.”
“Really? I don’t want you to go to all that trouble just
for us and I’m sure Usagi-chan wouldn’t want that either.”
“Believe me, Naru-chan, it is no trouble… no trouble at
all…”
A dream… for so long those words echoed in her mind.
Sometimes quietly and sometimes loudly, but always there and then nothing but
darkness. How long had she been trapped in this void between living and dying?
Naru didn’t know. At other times she could hear people moving about above her.
She would want to scream at them, to reach out to them, but her body would not
obey her panicked commands, forcing her to live in this internal prison until,
all of a sudden, she was free.
Naru exhaled deeply, and opened her eyes, as the mournful
and bittersweet melody continued to play out through the room. Her vision
blurred from her prolonged slumber she could just make out a being seated on
the edge of her bed, playing a harp. An angel? Naru wondered as she continued
to stare at the musician and then, as suddenly as the harp had started playing,
the music ceased. Naru smiled as she felt a gloved hand upon her forehead and a
voice whisper:
“Naru-chan” before the figure shimmered and then
disappeared.
Naru pushed herself up into a sitting position, unsure of
what had exactly taken place and why she uttered the reply that she did:
“Usagi…”
*******
“Endymion. The choice is yours alone. Come with me and
they will live. If you don’t then they will die.”
For what seemed like an age no one moved. Mamoru cast a
pained glance at them, the confusion and fear easy to read in his mind before
he, very slowly, took a step towards the portal once more.
Kisho frowned, deep in thought as he constantly replayed
the events of a few days ago over and over in his mind. Mamoru… he had not
deserted them. He had not forsaken them in favour of the Princess in this world.
Why? Torn apart by his confusion, Kisho had kept his distance from the others.
Unsure of what to believe. A part of him wanted to think that Mamoru would give
up Usagi, that he would realise that the mistakes of the past would be repeated
and that he would force her to hand over the Ginzuishou. A part of him also
believed that, despite what Mamoru said, he would betray them. The Prince had
always had a weak heart, as did the Princess.
Kisho did not know why he had taken the long way home from
the community centre, the way that took him right through the centre of town
and by Crown. Perhaps a part of him was hoping to see Mamoru or the others.
Deep down, he did miss their friendship and relative early days of the mission.
“Tamura Kisho, this is Ueda Masaki and Kimura Taro. Taro,
Masaki this is Tamura Kisho.”
“Kunzite” Taro said.
“You are watching this store in case the Prince turns up
looking for the Ginzuishou?” Kisho asked.
Taro nodded and Kisho snorted in contempt at this,
“Fools.”
“What?” he growled angrily, “What do you mean?”
“That bar across the road” Kisho indicated a small
building with a nod of his head.
“What about it?” Masaki wanted to know.
“The enemy are harvesting energy from the people inside
even as we speak.”
“Impossible!” Taro protested, “I would have sensed
something!”
Things had gotten off to a bit of a bad start, especially
between him and Taro, but after what Taro went through they had become closer.
“Kimi-kun!”
“How are you feeling?”
“A lot better”
“I thought you might need some reminding of what the
outside world looked like”
He even let Kisho call him by that stupid nickname.
No, Kisho shook his head. This was no time for lamenting
on what had been. The past life was threatening to repeat and Kisho had to be
strong… no matter what.
Still, he found himself turning into the street where
Crown was situated anyway; brushing passed a young and happy looking couple as
he did so. Kisho scowled slightly, their joy reminding him of the feigned
innocence of Serenity.
“Kenichi!” the woman’s cry of distress pierced through
Kisho’s thoughts and he whirled back around and saw her knelt over her lover.
The man was unconscious and refused to be woken.
Already a few people were coming to her aid, so Kisho saw
no reason to stop when someone else cried out. A businessman, carrying a
briefcase under one arm, suddenly fell to the ground, his papers littering the
road.
A four year old was crying, as both his mother and sister
lay unconscious on the pavement. What was this? The air was getting thicker,
making it difficult to breath as the sky darkened.
Kisho placed a trembling hand to his forehead as the
rasping voice tore through his mind. What was that? Youma? Impossible. Yet it
felt like a Youma aura yet it was different somehow. Stronger…
Breaking into a run as more people fell, Kisho found Taro
and Mamoru outside of Crown.
“What happened?” he asked, keeping his voice emotionless
as he spoke.
“We don’t know” Taro said, casting a glance at the two
plushie cats beside him, “We were looking for Tsukino-san and then this
happened.”
“The Princess is missing?” Kisho asked.
Mamoru was about the reply when a car shot around the
corner, veering all over the road and then headed straight towards them. Kisho
pulled Mamoru backwards with him and Taro as it smashed into a lamppost right
outside Crown.
Kisho smirked slightly when Masaki leaned back into the
passenger side, letting go of the steering wheel and sighing in relief.
“Master? Daijobu?” Seiichi shouted climbing out of the
backseat. Both were obviously shaken.
“I’m fine” Mamoru answered him, though the man looked a
little pale. “What happened?”
Masaki climbed out of the car and shrugged, indicating the
unconscious driver, “As we turned the corner he just collapsed.”
“It’s the same
here” Taro informed them, “But it seems to be concentrated in one area. I don’t
understand it.”
“Youma?” Masaki wondered.
“There is a Youma aura,” Kisho said.
Seiichi nodded, “It seems to growing stronger with each
passing minute, but I can’t seem to locate it.”
Kisho frowned and concentrated. After a few seconds he
shook his head, “Neither can I.” He frowned again. There was another sound,
very soft but unmistakeable; the sound of a harp.
“The Princess” Kisho whispered, transforming as he spoke.
“But this… this is impossible. Her music is… is feeding the Youma’s powers!”
******
Deep in Metallia’s chambers, Beryl sighed as she felt her
Queen’s energy increasing with the Princess’s sorrow. If this continued… Beryl
shuddered. She dreaded to think what would happen. Already Metallia had taken
on a more permanent form on the Earth. Beryl could hear her… and she trembled
slightly.
“Princess” Beryl whispered, clenching a fist tightly in
one hand, “You destroyed the planet once. Will Endymion allow you to do so
again?”
******
Zoisite glanced reluctantly over his shoulder as the
Master, Jadeite and Nephrite hurried down the street, the opposite direction
from Kunzite and himself. The Master had deemed that they split up to look for
the Princess and the Youma and told Zoisite to go after Kunzite. The Master
probably feared that he would hurt the Princess, Zoisite mused to himself, wondering
if that would be a terrible thing.
If she was gone then they could concentrate their efforts
on defeating the Dark Kingdom without having to worry about Serenity feeding
their enemy’s powers.
“She might have been again, had she been given the chance!
We had a deal, Seiichi. Have the Shitennou no honour after all?”
Both plushies had opted to go with the Master and Zoisite
was glad of this. He had always told himself that he would be happy when both
of them had kept their sides of the bargain and Artemis would leave. Now that
this had happened, Zoisite found that he missed the plushie’s presence
somewhat. As it was Artemis refused to even look at him.
Zoisite frowned. Why was he getting so concerned about
what a stupid stuffed animal thought anyway?
Then the Youma aura started to get stronger, but this aura
was, again, different, and one that Zoisite knew all too well.
It slammed into him from behind, letting out a cry of pain
as they both hit the floor.
The Youma also followed me here. It is drawn to me and yet
if I get close enough to try to capture it, it runs away.
The Youma scrabbled
to its feet, even as Kunzite drew his sword and slashed at it. He missed,
thankfully, and the Youma took off, fleeing back the way it had come. Kunzite took
after it and Zoisite called out:
“Kunzite! That isn’t the one stealing energy” in a bid to
stop him.
“It’s still a Youma” Kunzite called over his shoulder.
Shimatta, Zoisite thought to himself as he
raced after Kunzite. If Kunzite caught up with it then he would kill it…
When it feels pain, I feel pain and vice versa. If it dies
then so do I.
*******
Endymion ran, Jadeite and Nephrite behind him as he did
so. The sounds of the harp were getting nearer and the Youma aura fainter. For
this Endymion was glad for it meant that he had chosen the correct path. If
Kunzite found Usagi first… he didn’t want to even think about what might
happen. This also saddened him slightly. Up until a short time ago, Kisho was
the one who he could confide in and now… now he had to send Seiichi after him
to make sure that Kisho didn’t do anything stupid, but could he even count on
Seiichi not to harm Usagi?
Endymion nodded to this question. After what Seiichi had
told him, he felt as though he could trust his friend to do this one thing for
him.
As they turned a corner, Endymion came to a standstill.
The Princess, who was sitting on a wall, paused in her harp playing and
whispered:
“Endymion”
For a moment all Endymion could do was stare at the
radiant beauty of Princess Sailor Moon. It was as though she held him
mesmerised in her mournful presence, but, though her gaze seemed sorrowful,
Endymion couldn’t see a hint of emotion in her brown eyes. It was as though she
was a shell and nothing more.
“Usagi” he whispered, taking a step towards her.
“Master, matte” Nephrite snapped, grabbing his arm and
forcing him to stop.
“He’s right” Jadeite added quietly, “She isn’t Usagi-san
anymore.”
Endymion sighed and made no further attempts to go to the
Princess. She sensed this and resumed playing her harp, whilst speaking.
“I am the destroyer of worlds. I destroyed the planet.” She
said, her voice like ice as she continued, “Beryl… no matter how many times I
am reborn I cannot be with Endymion.”
“You destroyed the Earth?” Endymion whispered, suddenly
unsure, “But what about the Dark Kingdom?”
“The Dark Kingdom destroyed the Earth Kingdom, but I laid
ruin to the planet” the Princess replied.
“Serenity!” Mamoru heard his own voice shout, as he fought
against this place, the delighted crows of Beryl ringing in his ears as the
ground in front of him exploded in a shower of colours and flames before dying
completely, leaving destruction in their wake. Then he felt it, an agonising
pain in his back as the sword entered his body even as Serenity screamed.
Mamoru fell, his own sword clattering heavily against the
stone as he did so. He had no strength left…
“Endymion!” Serenity screamed, her cries were like music
to the demon Queen of the Dark Kingdom and Beryl’s laughter grew as the
Princess sank to her knees, taking in the devastation that she was left with.
“My home… my mother… my Prince…” she whispered bitterly, a
single tear splashing down her cheek to stain the front of her dress. “My
Senshi… she has taken them all from me… I have nothing left” her voice hardened
as she stood to face the triumphant Queen, “Nothing. I have nothing left so I
have nothing to lose…”
With these words she raised the Ginzuishou high above her
head… Beryl’s laughter turned into screams of terror as the Ginzuishou began to
glow…
It was true, Endymion knew. Beryl may have killed three of
his Tennou and destroyed the Kingdom, but Serenity had murdered all life on
both planets, but who…
“Our love was frowned upon” the Princess continued coldly,
“Even by our own Guardians. They would have done anything to keep us apart and
still would, even in this world.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Jadeite snapped, “She is trying to
turn you against us.”
Serenity ignored the blonde king, “I had nothing left when
you died so I destroyed the Earth and the Moon.”
“When I died,” Endymion repeated softly, recalling a hazed
image of the sword entering his body and the pain and agony that came with it.
But… who had killed him? He frowned as, slowly, the memories, aided by the
grief-stricken melody of her harp, began to surface once more.
“Serenity!” Mamoru
heard his own voice shout, as he fought against this place, the delighted crows
of Beryl ringing in his ears as the ground in front of him exploded in a shower
of colours and flames before dying completely, leaving destruction in their wake.
Then he felt it, an agonising pain in his back as the
sword entered his body even as Serenity screamed.
Mamoru fell, his own sword clattering heavily against the
stone as he did so. He had no strength left…
As his vision began to cloud over, his gaze slid passed
the Princess to the figure standing beyond her. He stood, his sword still
coated with his Master’s blood, as his eyes grew wide with horror at what he
had done.
“Endymion!” Serenity screamed.
Endymion raised his head as the remaining Tennou joined
the group, shock forcing him to de-transform on the spot. As his gaze met
Kunzite’s, Mamoru read the disbelief and guilt in his friend’s eyes.
“You” Mamoru breathed and then broke off, unwilling to say
anything more in front of his other guardians, but, judging from the looks on
their faces, they realised this too. Endymion had died upon the blade of the
leader of the Shitennou.
******
Kunzite sheathed his sword in frustration, cursing under
his breath as he glanced wildly about, looking for some signs of where that
Youma had gone.
“Did you see where it went?” he demanded of his white
haired companion.
Zoisite shook his head and Kunzite’s mood darkened. The
second strongest of them hadn’t seemed that keen to go after the Youma to begin
with. He had voiced several doubts, obviously wanting to find the Princess
instead. Zoisite had even hung back when he got close enough to kill the damn
thing.
“You fought alone for a year?” he questioned as he made
his way to the other king’s side, “Judging from that display just then I never
would have believed it.”
Zoisite shrugged, an act that seemed unnatural to him
somehow, “I am more concerned in finding the Master.”
Kunzite sighed, deciding that Mamoru-tachi probably went
in the right direction after all. Not caring to see if Zoisite was following,
Kunzite started back the way that they had come.
******
“I had nothing left when you died so I destroyed the Earth
and the Moon.”
“When I died,”
Kunzite froze at the Princess’s words, his sword hand
shaking as he clutched the hilt of his weapon. When he had first caught sight
of the Princess, he had readied himself for a battle but her music… it stirred
memories deep down inside of him. Memories forgotten by time and ones that he
wished he could keep buried there.
“No!” a
strangled cry escaped him as he halted in the palace grounds, staring at the
huge marble pillars that had fallen during the battle. A scream caught in
Kunzite’s throat as he recognised two of his friends lying lifelessly on the
ground.
“Jadeite…
Nephrite…” he whispered. Kunzite stepped forwards as his gaze locked upon a
third person lying further away. Stumbling towards the person, Kunzite choked
on his name as he recognised the third of the Tennou. He lay on his stomach;
his lifeless blue eyes seemed to be staring up into Kunzite’s own as though
accusing of causing all of this. “Zoisite…”
Kunzite’s
sorrow deepened as he stared upon them.
The
Princess had led them all to ruin and would do so again… Kunzite screamed until
his throat was hoarse and searing in pain from the tiny dust particles that
clouded the air around him and found their way into his mouth. He coughed,
sinking to his knees as he choked on the air around him.
“Kunzite?”
a voice caused him to look up as two shadows appeared among the ruins. With the
sun blotted out by the evil that surrounded him, Kunzite could only see
outlines of the pair who moved slowly towards him, hand in hand.
“Master…”
he whispered, his voice having a hardened edge to it as he spoke, “Princess…
All of this… how many more will suffer? Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, your own
people! When will it end?”
The
Prince had no answer and Kunzite stood, unsheathing his sword, he took a step
towards them, “Is this how it will be? Then so be it”
He turned
away; he could never strike down his Prince, but all of this… He would never
forgive him. The Earth’s destruction was caused by the one man who was supposed
to defend it.
They had retreated to the Moon, Kunzite thought bitterly,
but Beryl followed them. Torn apart with grief and sorrow that he was unable to
protect the weaker Tennou and make his Prince see what a terrible mistake he
had made, Kunzite had attacked Serenity. He could remember, in the midst of the
battle, taking his sword into his hand and raising it against the unprotected
back of the Princess of the Silver Millennium. Kunzite had heard Serenity’s
scream, but when he tore his sword from the body of the human that it had
impaled, it was not Serenity who fell to the ground. Though he had always vowed
that he would never do so, Kunzite had struck Endymion. He had killed his
Master.
“You” Mamoru whispered and Kunzite cringed at the hurt and
betrayal in his eyes.
Jadeite and Nephrite took a step back, away from him,
their own anger darkening their gazes. Even Zoisite looked away in disgust at
what Kunzite had done.
“I forgive you”
He turned, wildly, as Mamoru spoke, but, still locked in
the horror of this revelation, Kunzite was unable to process what his Master
was saying and Mamoru was forced to repeat himself.
“I forgive you. The past life should remain the past” he
was trembling as he spoke these words, but Kunzite could not doubt the
sincerity in his voice, despite the fact that he knew that Mamoru only wanted
to unite them in the mission, even now.
Kunzite drew his sword, his gaze locked upon the Princess.
He did not want forgiveness! Even now Mamoru still loved her! After all she had
done he still refused to take the Ginzuishou from her. The Princess had
destroyed the planet so the Princess had to die.
“Yameru!” he heard Mamoru shout as he raised his weapon,
concentrating all his magics into the sword and then releasing them… straight
at the Princess. Out of the corner of his eye, Kunzite saw the Prince
struggling to run forward, but Nephrite had grabbed him by the shoulders
forcing him to stay back as the blue light engulfed the Princess.
Kunzite staggered under the force of the backlash of his
attack, the blue magics momentarily blinding him, but, when he finally lowered
his cape, a shocked gasp escaped him. The Princess lived and, as he watched,
she took a graceful step towards them, her sword poised in front of her as
power flared from the tip and slammed into the ground before them.
Kunzite hit the ground, dropping his own weapon as he did
so. She was strong… stronger than she had been in the previous life.
Glancing around him, through the smoke, Kunzite saw that
the two Tennou nearest him, Zoisite and Jadeite, had been caught in the attack,
too. Nephrite had managed to escape it and had pulled Mamoru back further and
out of the path of the Princess.
“Stop this!” Mamoru yelled as Kunzite slashed at her
again, yet, before his attack could strike home, the Princess simply blocked it
with her weapon and fired it straight back at them. He barely managed to shield
himself this time and, another glance in his fellow Tennou’s direction
confirmed that both of them were on the ground, unable to withstand the force
behind Serenity’s attack.
She stood, poised, cutting into the air five times with
her sword, creating a crackling star shape out of her powers, before lowering
her weapon down the middle of this and preparing to strike.
Despite himself, Kunzite felt a tiny stab of fear. Not
even Beryl had been able to stop her.
“No!” a
strangled cry escaped him as he halted in the palace grounds, staring at the
huge marble pillars that had fallen during the battle. A scream caught in
Kunzite’s throat as he recognised two of his friends lying lifelessly on the
ground.
“Jadeite…
Nephrite…” he whispered. Kunzite stepped forwards as his gaze locked upon a
third person lying further away. Stumbling towards the person, Kunzite choked
on his name as he recognised the third of the Tennou. He lay on his stomach;
his lifeless blue eyes seemed to be staring up into Kunzite’s own as though
accusing of causing all of this. “Zoisite…”
Kunzite lowered his weapon, the crushing weight of the
Master’s words, mixed together with his own sorrow and guilt were just too much
for him to bear. Let her kill him, Kunzite thought bitterly as he
de-transformed, much to his fellow Tennou’s horror. He no longer cared… not
anymore…
******
Mamoru struggled to run to Usagi as the Princess attacked,
but Nephrite was stronger and held him back.
“Don’t be stupid!” his friend shouted over the roar of the
flames as the surrounding buildings were also caught in her fury. “She isn’t
Tsukino Usagi in this form!”
“I can’t let them die!” Mamoru cried desperately, “We’ve
got to stop her, Nephrite.”
Another cry stuck in Mamoru’s throat as Kunzite lowered
his sword and then de-transformed back into Tamura Kisho.
“What the hell is he doing?” Nephrite demanded, fear a
definite edge in his voice as he stared upon the strongest of them. “In that
form he’ll certainly die!”
Realising the same thing, Jadeite and Zoisite got to their
feet, placing themselves between the Princess and Kisho as she let fly another
vicious assault upon them. The force of the blast knocked Mamoru to the ground,
despite Nephrite stepping in front of him to shield his Prince somewhat.
When the smoke cleared, Mamoru managed to push himself up
onto his knees, wincing slightly as a shaking hand gingerly touched a gash on
his forehead. Another cry escaped him when he saw his friends. They, too, were
on the ground, their transformations no longer in place and still the Princess
was preparing to attack.
No! Mamoru shook his head fiercely and stepped between
Taro and Princess Sailor Moon. The Princess may have destroyed the planet in
the past life, but she was also Tsukino Usagi in this world.
“Master! Don’t!” Seiichi shouted as Mamoru took a step
towards the Princess.
“He’s right!” Taro added, “You can’t stop her!”
Mamoru ignored them and looked up, gazing into the
Princess’s eyes, searching for some sign that Tsukino Usagi still existed
behind those dark pools of destruction.
“Usagi…”
“Endymion” she whispered as she raised her sword above her
head, charging it with power once more, before aiming it at the Shitennou.
“Usagi, stop!”
“Master, yameru!”
“Mamoru!”